broccoli kamut slaw

Sometimes I do this thing where I decide I need a break from sandwiches for lunch. I try to pack other things; stir fries, fried rice, I recently even made fried millet and packed it for lunch. Like, woah. And, grain salads. Grain salads pack well, they have good chew power, and are more often than not nutritional powerhouses. It's picnic food. And isn't a packed lunch sort of like a mini picnic?

Sometimes I do this thing where I take massive liberties. Like here, for example. Slaw? Okaaaaaayyyyyy. I guess, in the loosest sense of the word we can call this a slaw. In my brain this is a slaw because I use components of a slaw I often make; diced apple, red onion, and a tangy yoghurt dressing. Then I take some liberties; broccoli instead of cabbage. Kamut. Don't call it a slaw if you don't want to, if you can't wrap your mind around the slawness of it all. Go ahead and call it a grain salad. Then pack it for lunch. Or for a picnic.

Kamut? Kamut is an ancient relative of durum wheat which has never been hybridized. The grain is 2 to 3 times larger than the average wheat grain, and takes substantially less water to grow. It has a high protein (7g of protein per ¼ cup (46g) of kamut) and fatty acid content, but a lower fiber content than regular wheat due to it's larger size (don't worry, there is plenty of fiber in this recipe with all the broccoli in this slaw). Kamut berries have a nice chew to them, and a nutty, almost brown buttery taste. Often people with sensitivities to other forms of wheat are able to tolerate kamut. If you aren't, however, I've listed some possible substitutions in the head notes below. Lets get down to business.

One year ago: Sweet Potato Lentil Quinoa Baby Cakes 

Broccoli Kamut Slaw Recipe:

Can't find kamut berries? No worries. Wheat berries, spelt berries, farro, barley, or brown rice would all do the trick just as nicely. Kamut, though, is worth seeking out for the chewiness and nutty, buttery flavour.

Serves 4 as a main, more as a side.

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1 cup uncooked kamut berries

5-6 cups of chopped broccoli florets and stems (from 2 heads)

½ medium red onion, finely diced

1 medium - large apple, diced into small squares

1 cup plain yoghurt (I used 3.5% Turkish yoghurt)

2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

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Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt generously. Add kamut berries, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Test kamut berries towards the end of cooking. They should be chewy and toothsome, but not crunchy.

Rinse broccoli and dice it all up into bite sized florets and bits of stem. When the kamut is just about finished cooking, add the broccoli to the pot. Give it a good stir so the broccoli gets well incorporated, and cover for 2-3 minutes. Broccoli should be just barely tender and not at all mushy. Remove the pot from the heat, strain broccoli and kamut, and give everything a good rinse under cold water. Drain well.

Place broccoli and kamut in a large bowl. Add diced red onion and apple, and toss well.

In a small bowl whisk together yoghurt with apple cider vinegar, and a little salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over the slaw, and mix until everything is well coated. Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve.

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Know what you're eating: what's good about this? Broccoli is good for you! It is a great source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and high broccoli consumption is thought to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease and some cancers. Yoghurt is a great source of calcium, vitamin B12, and protein, to name a few. The live bacterial culture is very beneficial for digestive health. Aim for lower fat yoghurts whenever possible. Kamut is a high protein form of wheat. It is a good source of vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, pantothentic acid, copper and complex carbohydrates, and is often tolerable by those who are sensitive to other forms of wheat. An Apple a day keeps the doctor away! Apple is a good source of fiber, and vitamin C. The nutrients in apples are concentrated skin, so buy organic, give them a good wash, and keep the skin on whenever possible.

Do ahead: This slaw will last for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge. I packed it for lunch for 4 days in a row, and it held up just fine.

All text and photos © The Muffin Myth 2012